Just A Dream
by darkangel199113
Summary: Daryl has a dream that leaves him thinking about his feelings for Beth and the impact she had on his outlook on life. (One-Shot)


"I couldn't even begin to explain everything," stated Beth softly as she gently probed at the fire with a stick.

Daryl and Carol sat across from her, no words being able to describe the moment. After being reunited at Terminus with everyone, and getting away from the evil clutches of Terminus' people, Daryl decided to make finding Beth his own personal mission. Carol decided that helping him would be a good way to avoid the inevitable talk with everyone else. The group was worn and shaken after their escape from Terminus. In the end, the only way they got away was simply agreeing to take Garth and a few others to Washington on a crazy mission to save the world. Apparently some guy named Eugene that Glenn had met on his travels, knew how to find a cure. Daryl didn't believe a bit of it. As much as he wanted to have hope for a brighter future, every waking moment he spent in the presence of Garth and his people made him think otherwise.

However, Daryl found a clue of Beth's whereabouts and decided that if no one else was going to find their remaining group member, then he'd do it on his own. Of course he knew Maggie cared, but he wondered if anyone else did. It was so common to lose people, but Daryl just knew she was alive. After meeting a priest named Gabriel, he informed them that he had indeed seen her. He didn't once think twice about it. Maybe it was by fate that the last place he saw her just so happen to be in Washington.

After fighting off an onslaught of the undead, Carol and Daryl managed to find her. She had escaped her captivators, but had yet to really tell either of them what had happened. They found her held up in an apartment building, living off of outdated canned goods and the few skills Daryl had showed her during their time together. He had had a moment to be proud before they had to flee from the dead. After they managed to get out of the open, they found themselves holed up under a bridge near a sewage pipe.

"You don't have to tell us what happened to you," said Carol as she stood to her feet. "All that matters is that you're safe. Not everything will be like it was at the prison, but at least our family can be together again."

Daryl watched her turn away and look around the area. He had a strong sense that she wasn't just talking about Beth's experiences. However, he remained silent. She hadn't talked to him yet about everything that had happened at the prison, and it wasn't his right to bring it up now. Especially not with Beth sitting there. If Carol wanted to tell her, then that was on her. Just like it was on her to tell him when she felt the time was right.

"I'm going to take a look around," she announced with a glance over her shoulder. She managed a small smile for them, but it was mostly forced. Daryl had become rather use to seeing everyone force a smile these days. Beth, on the other hand, smiled back with sincerity.

Once Carol walked a few feet away, Beth turned her smile to Daryl. "I'm glad everyone is okay...just like I knew they would be."

Daryl shook his head at her. "Never knew you were the type to say 'I told ya so'."

"You said it, not me," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "Anyway, what's the situation with everyone else?"

Daryl lowered his gaze to the fire and gave his own shrug. "Don't know."

Beth stared at him pointedly. They had told her all about Terminus and what the rest of the group was doing. They explained that they parted ways once they arrived in Washington. It was obvious that Daryl and Carol weren't very certain of where everyone else was. It was also obvious that Maggie wasn't certain about whether or not Beth was still alive. Daryl had asked her if she wanted to come with them, but she declined. Her only response was that she couldn't see another dead body of someone she loved. Was the group's hope really that low? Did any of them believe she was still alive?

She released a long sigh before moving around the fire to sit next to him. "Don't say you don't know anything."

"Okay," he began with that devilishly handsome half smile of his. "I won't say anything then."

"Daryl," she scolded sternly. When he didn't reply, she elbowed him gently in the side. "Daryl, are you seriously going to stop talking?"

He gave a shrug of his shoulders as he stared into the flames. Beth couldn't help but roll her eyes as he remained silent.

"You being silent isn't a milestone. You're always silently pouting," she said with a wicked grin.

"I don't pout," he muttered, turning his head in her direction. His eyes betrayed his annoyed tone, though. He was finding the random conversation they were having rather amusing. Actually, a lot of conversations they had after the Moonshine adventure in the woods had been amusing to him. Some were even endearing. He never imagined he'd find talking to Beth so relaxing.

"You're doing it right now," she chimed as she gestured at his face with her index finger.

He wasn't sure what possessed him to do it, but he reached out and took her hand. The amused glint didn't leave her eyes as he wrapped his hand around hers and held it tightly. Her grin slowly faded into a smile, and their fingers slowly entwined. All sorts of things started running through his mind in that moment. He wanted to tell her how much he had missed her. He wanted to tell her that he ran after the car, not once relenting until the morning rose and he was bone tired. He wanted to tell her that he had never once stopped believing she was okay. But most of all, he wanted her to know that she made him feel more than he had ever felt before the world went to hell.

Instead, he just stared into her eyes, not uttering a single word. He was never really good with words. He was always better with conveying emotions in his actions. He knew she would understand, just like she had that moment in the funeral home. He knew that she had felt it then too. All he did was stare at her with respect and affection. He felt those some things for her now, and so much more. However, he wasn't sure he was ready yet to put his feelings into a specific category. Saying he cared about her well being in his own head was enough recognition of what kind of feelings he knew he had for her. Maybe someday down the line, he'd even be able to tell her out loud.

Beth didn't utter anything either. All she did was squeeze his hand in reassurance that she understood. He wanted to bring her closer and give her an intimate realization of what he already knew he felt, but he wasn't sure what kind of gesture to make. He didn't have much time to worry, though. Beth took the initiative by pulling her hand away and wrapping her arms around his waist in a tight embrace. It took him a moment to react, but he eventually wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her close against his chest.

They sat there like that for what seemed like an eternity, when he finally realized Carol had been gone for far too long. He made to move, but Beth didn't let go. He glanced down at her limp form and almost went into a state of shock when he saw she wasn't breathing. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away from him, only to be greeted by decaying, rotting flesh.

"No," he said in utter shock as the Walker before him began snapping its menacing teeth. It brought its hands to grab at his face, but he quickly flung it away. He watched in horror as Beth's Walker form fell backwards into the fire, growling and groaning. He backed away as she slowly pulled herself to her feet and lunged at him. He held her at bay by grabbing her shoulders and keeping her at arms length.

"Carol!" he called out behind him. He soon heard a shuffle in the shadows, and what emerged was nothing but Carol's dead body. She growled low in her throat before lunging at him from behind and sinking her teeth into his shoulder. She tore away with ripped clothes and flesh dangling from her mouth. Beth managed to break free from his grasp and lunge for his neck while he was disoriented. Just before she sunk her sharp teeth into his tender flesh, everything faded to black before his very eyes. The next thing he knew, someone was gently shaking his shoulders. When he opened his eyes again, he was lying on the ground with Rick crouching over him.

With a start, Daryl sat up and began running his hands over the places he had been bitten. His clothes were in tact and he certainly wasn't dead. He looked to Rick, who was staring at him with deep concern.

"You were dreamin'," he explained softly. "Ya kept calling her name."

Daryl stared at him in confusion before he realized that everything that had just ran through his head was a dream. Beth wasn't a Walker, and neither was Carol. As a matter of fact, the last and first time he had held Beth in his arms was when Carol and him found her corpse. His dream was right about the apartment and everything else as far as the group was concerned. The only thing that was wrong was the fact he actually had a chance to tell her he cared.

"Damn it," he muttered as he ran his hands through his hair and over his face.

"I'm so sorry," Rick replied softly. "She's gone, but she's with Hershel now. She's at peace."

"Don't give me that shit," he snapped as he pushed himself to his feet and looked around the camp the group had set up in the woods. There was no tents. All they had was the ground and a few sleeping bags. Daryl was use to roughing it, so he was one of the people that opted to sleep on the ground. With how everything had turned out, he didn't really care if he didn't sleep at all. After his little nightmare, he was pretty sure he didn't want to ever dream again.

"Its been two weeks since ya found her. Maybe before ya could have mourned, but we just don't have that luxury now," he said sternly as he got to his feet as well. "Daryl, I need you."

"I know," he replied as he glanced over his shoulder at Rick's worn and bloody face. He was growing an insane beard these days. He wanted nothing more than to tell the man to shave. He was starting to look like Santa Clause.

"I just thought that maybe...I'd have at least gotten to say goodbye," he uttered as he leaned against a nearby tree.

"I know, man. I know," Rick replied. He then moved closer and clasped Daryl on the shoulder. He honestly didn't know what Beth and Daryl's relationship had been, but he knew the young girl had given him a different aspect on life. Daryl hadn't been the kind to share much of his emotions, but he had told Rick that he cared for Beth a lot. He could see it showing right now as he stared thoughtfully into the distance.

"I miss her," he confessed as he slowly glanced over at him, his eyes sparkling with a sadness Rick never knew he had.

"We all do," he said as he moved away from him. "She had a goodness in her. It's a shame the world killed the only good spark left in it."

Daryl breathed in deeply. He almost thought he would lose it then and there at Rick's words, but he knew better than to let his emotions get the best of him. Slowly, he moved away from the tree and brought his eyes directly to Rick's. He stared confidently at him, the sadness being replaced with great determination.

"That ain't true," he began. "Beth was something great, but we still got one last hope."

Rick stared at him with confusion. When Daryl turned his gaze elsewhere, Rick slowly followed it over to a sleeping Judith in the arms of a sleeping Carl. Understanding registered on his face as a smile crept onto his lips.

"Your right," he said in barely a whisper. "And you know somethin'. I like to think Beth had a lot to do with that."

Daryl couldn't help but smile at his friend as he turned to stare at him once more. Even though his dream had shaken him to the very core, having his family with him right now made it all the better. He regretted not telling Beth how he felt at the funeral home, but somehow he suspected she probably knew anyway. He suppose that thought would always haunt his mind, making him wonder whether or not he conveyed enough to her. But for right now, he would let his sadness go. He knew there wasn't time to truly cherish her memory, but he'd find a way to do so one day. And despite the fact he himself didn't believe much in heaven or God, he knew Beth did. He hoped she was there with her father and that maybe someday, he could join her. He knew it was silly to think he'd ever be good enough to go to heaven. However, just for that moment, he wanted nothing more than to be where _his_ Beth was happy and free.

* * *

><p>Where do I even begin!? Let me start by saying that if you follow Against All Odds, then you know that I said in my notes in the last chapter that I'm planning to get murderous. Let's just say that this can be a preview to what kind of evil things you can expect from me. As for this one shot, I know it's pretty random. I hope I got Daryl's emotions on the whole thing pretty well. I used mostly what we assume we'll get in season 5. Or at least this is what I assume might happen in season 5, except for Beth being dead. As we all know, she's very much alive. By the way, I think the fact they showed that in the trailer was a total cop out! The whole point of her arc was to know whether or not she lived, right? Maybe I'm missing something about that. Anyway, I didn't really say much because this little one shot isn't about Terminus, or what happened in Terminus. This one shot is pure Bethyl angst, and you can thank Nelly's song Just A Dream for giving me this idea. I'm sure something like this has been done before, but I don't really care! I wanted to do something completely different from what I've written as one shots so far. If you follow me, then you know I'm extremely fluffy. I felt like I needed some darkness to off set my fluff.<p> 


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